Learn the f@#!$%^n song!

Hi there,

Recently a friend reminded me of an incident at a gig we had done together some years ago. When I say 'reminded' I say 'rubbed a bit more salt in the already open wound'! OK, that may be a little melodramatic, but this particular happening is not likely to slip out of my memory banks anytime soon. I was singing at The Basement, one of my favourite venues - mainly because I feel part of a rich heritage of music when I play there, and the audience are invariably real music lovers...Anyway, it was a tribute show, and as well as doing a few lead songs, I was singing backing vocals for a bunch of other artists, including some that were quite high profile. One particularly 'well-loved' (but not by me, now!) artist had decided, on stage, that he would do a different arrangement of the song than the one we had all tirelessly rehearsed. Well, the rest of us had tirelessly rehearsed but this particular singer is infamous for not learning his material. 

Now, regardless of who is in the right, I believe that a band and backing singers should always follow the frontperson - someone has to lead the charge after all and it's hard to argue with the guy singing the melody into the microphone. So the other bv singer and I did our parts while watching him intently to see where he was going. We did our darndest to follow him as he meandered through his unique version of this particular tune but the band

were struggling and so were we. At one stage he got so badly befuddled even he didn't know where to go next, and decided someone needed to be blamed. Publicly. On stage. In front of everyone. At the Basement! Yeah you guessed it, the poor backing singers copped it. In the middle of the song, he flicked his hands in our eager faces, yelling 'f7^&*#@n backing singers, get it right!!'. You could hear the audience take a collective breath in and I stood there mortified. Do I keep singing and smile as if it were a joke? Leave the stage in a huff? In reality I just stood there with an open mouth and the colour draining out of my face until I could collect myself for the next song. That was years ago but I still feel the pain.

Recently another tribute show was staged at a bigger, even more presitigious venue. The band were top notch and really learnt their stuff. The singers were again, 'well-loved' and didn't bother turning up to the rehearsals. Talent can get you so far and most of the gig went relatively well but there was a train wreck or two - just learn your f@#!$%^n songs! It's our job and it's fun. Don't get caught with your pants down.

See you next time - I've got to go - got some songs to learn!
xAmanda

Before You Die, You Gotta Play This Gig

Hi there,
Reverbnation just published the results of a survey on the venues where most artists want to perform. Top of the heap in New York? Madison Square Garden. Number one in LA? Whiskey a Go Go. Top dog in London? Wembley Stadium. No surprises there.

That would be that place in Sydney? It's not necessarily the biggest venue that holds the most appeal for everyone. For me, it was always The Basement - Sydney's iconic Circular Quay venue. It's dark but classy. It's the kind of place you could turn up and always know you'll see really good live music. Audiences know that and so artists on that stage always seem to be treated with respect. If Prince is coming to town with his stadium tour, he'll make sure he has time for a secret gig at The Basement. 

I have seen countless gigs at The Basement and I had always dreamed of playing there myself one day. I remember one night, quite a few years ago hanging out after watching a show there. Another singer girlfriend and I knew some of the guys in the band so we stayed on with them playing pool, after the rest of the audience had gone home.  

After quite a few drinks, my friend and I decided to explore. We snuck away from the rest of the group with a cigarette lighter showing our path through the now darkened stage area. With mischievous grins to each other (because I wasn't the only one who had always wanted to be on that stage) we opened the door to the backstage area. We marvelled at this cavern of gig posters and outrageous graffiti. After a few excited moments in the artists' den we decide that since we'd gone this far...we spotted the hole in the wall that led to the actual stage and giggling like schoolgirls, rushed each other to go through to the other side. When we got there we paused for a few moments in revered silence then jumped up and down (I believe there was some tap dancing and other Young Talent Time-style choreography) with absolute glee. We had been on the Basement stage!!
The Basement may well always be at the top of my heap. By the way, yes I did get to legitimately perform there - in fact I'm lucky enough to do so regularly, and on each occasion I still relive a bit of the thrill of that very first time.